The Survival Mission
by bigbangenthusiast
Summary: Sheldon and Amy work together to escape predators.


**A/N: Today marks the nine-year anniversary of Sheldon and Amy's first meeting. It was a long road, but they've accomplished many milestones over those years.**

**To commemorate that first meeting, I've written a short, silly story. I also suggest checking out the fluff crawlspace tag on Tumblr today for more Shamy goodness. Happy Fluff Crawlspace Day! **

Amy's foot slipped on the rain-soaked grass. With Sheldon's help, she caught herself from falling. There was no time for mistakes. One misstep could cost them dearly.

Hand in hand they hurried over the slick terrain. Fueled by an extra reserve of energy, she pumped her legs faster to keep the pace with her husband's longer stride. Sheldon threw in a few zigs and zags. That had to help widen the distance between themselves and their pursuers or, at the very least, confuse them.

Amy looked over her shoulder, and her heart sank. Another grotesque being joined the pack. Their gray, decaying bodies lurched forward in an unsynchronized configuration. The whole situation was surreal, like something straight out of a horror film.

"There are more of them now," she panted. "Why are they all out to get us? They have other targets."

"Perhaps we're two of the few remaining survivors," Sheldon reasoned, his voice sounding winded as well.

It was true. When they started the zombie simulation training, there were at least one hundred others. Now it was mostly just an open field. With less targets, they were teaming up.

"Maybe we should just surrender. I don't know how much longer I can go on."

"Amy, we can do this. It shouldn't be long before they sound the completion horn. If I had kept my watch and phone on me like I planned, we would know exactly how much time remained."

"I'm sorry, but I didn't want to risk losing the phones or getting our watches snagged on something."

"Next year I'm bringing my watch, even if I have to strap it to my ankle under my pants."

"A next time doesn't seem likely. If I knew this much running was involved, I would have stayed home. I don't want to put myself through this again."

"I admit when I signed us up for the training, I expected to see some obstacles, not just an empty football field."

Amy just nodded and kept her eyes straight ahead as they continued running through the Pasadena High School field. Sheldon was right. There should have been obstacles, places to hide. The event planners failed miserably. After this was over, she was positive they'd receive a scathing letter from him.

Another look behind her confirmed what she feared; the gap was shrinking. It was no use. They were outnumbered, and her legs were giving out. "I don't think I have what it takes to escape the clutches of a zombie, real or not."

"That's why the training is so important. You need to push your boundaries. In the event a real incident should occur, I want to be reassured that you have the skills needed to survive."

Amy rolled her eyes. "I seriously doubt Pasadena will be invaded by zombies."

"Maybe, maybe not, but the skills could be transferred to any such invasion. An alien attack perhaps."

"What skills? All we've done is run away. I thought we were going to strategize."

"If we can reach the school, we'll have opportunities to plan our escape."

Beyond the goal post stood the beige and red brick building, their refuge. It was a shorter distance than it was from the apartment to her assigned parking space, but with fake zombies nearly breathing down her neck, it felt like light years away.

In front of them, a family of three veered to the left, and relief flooded through her when half the pack broke apart in the hopes of catching the trio. A burst of adrenaline coursed through her, and now it was she who dragged Sheldon along.

The school loomed closer. Just a few more steps. With her free hand, Amy fumbled with the handle. She twisted and turned, but to no avail. "We're doomed!"

"Let me try." Sheldon jiggled the silver knob with no better results. "Son of a biscuit!"

The pack was closing in. They needed another plan fast. There had to be another way in. Perhaps a fire exit or some other sort of side door. Then she saw it. "Sheldon! Over here!"

A nondescript door just to the left was slightly ajar. Amy pulled her husband inside and slammed it shut just before the gray fingers reached inside.

Sheldon slid the bolt in place and bent over, hands on his knees, panting heavily. "This is both a relief and troublesome. You would think they would keep a school more secure."

"There's no time to think about that now. We need a plan."

They quickly scanned the area. A single light bulb hanging on a cord from the ceiling illuminated the tiny space. The drab gray walls were bare except for two empty coat hooks. Two pairs of paint-splattered overalls lay crumpled on the floor. Next to them stood an open can of brown paint with a dripping brush balanced on the rim.

"It's almost as if someone left in a hurry."

Sheldon shuddered. "The ambiance outside was a joke, but this screams horror film."

"I thought you wanted the full zombie experience."

"The chances of being in a spooky place during a zombie invasion are slim to none. Most likely we would be in a familiar, non threatening environment."

"Should we take our chances here or find another hiding spot?"

Sheldon double checked the deadbolt. "It seems secure, but I can hear them moaning through the barrier. All it would take is one with lock picking knowledge to break in." Slowly he poked his head out the door leading into the hall.

"Anyone out there?" Amy whispered.

He put a finger to his lips and craned his neck out further. "I see no signs of life or, should I say, afterlife, but that doesn't prove we're safe. There's no telling how cunning they are."

"I suggest counting to 30. Then if we don't hear anything, we make a run for it."

"Counter proposal. We count to 30 then cautiously sneak out."

"Deal." Amy closed her eyes and concentrated on the sounds around her. Sheldon's heavy breathing mixed with her own filled her auditory canals. Any other noises would have to be pretty loud to register. She reopened her eyes.

Next to her, Sheldon had his concentration face on - eyes narrowed, lips pursed - before finally relaxing. "Thirty seconds. Did you hear anything?"

She shook her head. "No. You?"

"Just your breathing." He poked his head out again. "The coast is clear, but I don't trust them. We'll need to stay together and not make any sudden moves." His fingers entwined with hers, and together they slipped into the hall.

The locker-lined walls and beige tiled floor looked just like any typical school, but without the hustle and bustle of students, the place gave Amy the creeps.

With their backs to the wall, they shuffled sideways down the hallway. When they reached the first classroom door, Sheldon peeked through the narrow window. "From what I can tell, it's empty, but I can't see the whole room."

Amy nudged him aside and peered in. It certainly looked devoid of any presence, but it also didn't appear to provide any good places to hide.

They continued their trek down the long corridor. Each classroom was nearly identical to the first until they came across one with tables instead of desks and a wall filled with shelves of body parts in jars.

"Maybe we can find somewhere to hide in here," Amy suggested.

"In a lab with brains? That's the first place a zombie would look."

"They're not real zombies."

"Good point, but while you may be comfortable in that environment, I am not."

"Then let's keep looking."

The end of the hall branched off into a left and right passage. "The right side looks darker. If we choose that path, it will be more difficult for the zombies to see us. On the other hand, it will be more difficult for us to see them."

"It could also be a dead end," Amy pointed out. "At least down the lit hall, I can see another intersection at the end."

"Well done, Amy. Your reasoning skills will serve you well in a real invasion."

Continuing with their backs to the wall, Amy swept her gaze left and right. All was quiet. Too quiet. "Maybe we should have gone the other direction. It feels like we're being watched."

Sheldon frowned. "It's probably just paranoia setting in."

"You're probably right, but to be safe… What was that?"

The couple froze when a soft thud echoed through the hall. Amy gripped her husband's hand. He squeezed back then relaxed. "Probably just the air conditioning kicking in."

"When school isn't in session for another three months?" A second thud caused her to jump. "That's no air conditioner. Someone or something is around the corner."

"I'll check it out. Cover me," Sheldon whispered.

"Are you insane?" She hissed. "Zombies are probably lurking there just waiting for us to fall into their trap."

"I won't let that happen. Trust me." He pecked her lips and, keeping his back to the wall, crept closer to the intersection.

"Um, Sheldon?"

"What?"

"Look." Amy nodded her head at the classroom door on her left.

Black-rimmed eyes stared through the tiny window. Amy was rooted to her spot as the hinges squeaked. A hand snaked out through the crack.

"Amy!" Sheldon grabbed her hand, pulling her away before the gray fingers made contact.

They raced to the end of the hall then skidded to a stop. A pack of five zombies turned the corner, and another pair appeared from the other side.

"Oh, dear Lord!"

Amy could see the panic in her husband's eyes. They needed a plan, and fast. One zombie emerged from the classroom, and from what show could tell, there were no others the way they came from.

"Where are we going?" Sheldon demanded, as she tugged his arm.

"Back to the storage room."

"Even if we make it, there's a good chance they're still waiting for us right outside the door. Perhaps we can hide in the biology lab afterall."

"Unless there's a secret door, we'll be trapped there."

"If I have to be trapped somewhere, I'd rather be in the lab than that creepy closet."

"We won't be staying there. I have a plan."

"This better be good," he muttered.

The single zombie snarled and extended its fingers as they scurried past. Amy glanced back. The other seven hadn't caught up to it yet.

It was strange that they didn't just run after them. She and Sheldon weren't athletic, yet they managed to stay ahead. The zombies must have been coached on how to move. Again she was amazed at how real they looked. The clothes, the makeup, the moves… she just hoped her plan would work.

A peek in the closet confirmed everything was as they found it. The bolt still held and the groans from outside disappeared, but it was only a matter of time before the zombies within caught up to them. Amy ushered Sheldon in and locked the door behind them. "Put this on."

Sheldon stared at the paint-stained overalls his wife held out to him. "Why?"

"Trust me."

"But it's dirty."

"That's the point." Amy donned the smaller pair over her clothes. The pant legs dragged on the ground. It wouldn't actually be a bad thing for the look she was going for, but it was a tripping hazard. She rolled them past her ankles and waited for Sheldon to finish.

She held in a chuckle at her husband's scrunched nose. Wearing another person's clothes, and soiled ones no less, was way out of his comfort zone, yet he trusted her enough to get over his uneasiness.

"What are you doing?" He demanded when she ruffled his hair.

"We need to blend in." She leaned back and assessed his look. "There's something missing."

"Can you please tell me what's going on."

"I'm trying to make us look like zombies."

"While assimilation is a clever idea, isn't that against the rules?"

"All I saw in the rules was that we could do whatever possible to escape, as long as we stayed on the school grounds and didn't harm anyone or destroy the property."

"That is true." Now it was his turn to examine her. "You look nothing like a zombie. All I see is the beautiful woman I married."

She ran her fingers through her hair. "How about now? Messy enough?"

"You still don't look like a zombie."

Amy sighed. "Neither do you. This was a bad idea. I'm sorry I got us trapped in here." Moans reverberated through the door. "Sounds like they found us. Should we stay or surrender?"

Sheldon licked his lips as his eyes roamed over the closet. "I'd like to stay."

The zombies began knocking on the door with such force that it rattled on its hinges. The couple held each other so hard that Amy worried her ribs would crack.

The moans and banging grew louder. Sheldon released his grip on her to cover his ears. After rubbing her sore ribs, Amy leaned her head against his chest and loosely wrapped her arms around his waist. Suddenly the noise stopped. Sheldon lowered his hands and put his ear to the door.

"I don't hear anything, but they could just be trying to trick us."

"We can't stay in here all day. I'm sorry my plan didn't work."

"It was a good idea. All we're missing is some cosmetics to make us look dead."

Amy touched her cheek. "I wonder what I'd look like with gray skin?'

"You would still look beautiful to me." He smoothed her hair and caught her lips with his.

Amy melted into the kiss. Whether they won or lost the competition was irrelevant. What mattered was their love would survive any situation.


End file.
